Hitrino, Bulgaria, 10th of Dec 2016. Photo by Krasimir Krumov used with permission.

Seven persons were killed in a blast following a rail accident in the village of Hitrino, Shumen Province, in northeastern Bulgaria. More than 29 people were hospitalized in the province's administrative center, Shumen.

What is known is that at 05.40 local time on December 10, cisterns loaded with propylene liquefied petroleum gas and mounted on a cargo train exploded as the train left the tracks near Hitrino, not far from Shumen, while moving along the Ruse-Varna railroad.

The wagons were headed to the Bulgarian city of Ruse, and the train was operated by Bulmarket, a private company. A maneuver was required at the Hitrino railway station to give way to a passenger train, police and local officials say, in quotes relayed by the website Novinite.

Police data cited by the Bulgarian National Radio suggests the last two wagons of the cargo train made contact with the electricity grid. At least 20 buildings have been destroyed by the blast. The immediate area surrounding the blast site is being evacuated according to local authorities.

Bulgaria's PM Boyko Borisov, who will soon formally resign following his party's heavy defeat in the November elections, urged citizens to donate blood to address the shortage at the Shumen hospital serving the Hitrino victims.

Amazingly quick response to the explosion in Hitrino, solidarity, not only on the spot, but also a united reaction in the media.

Victor Lilov, part of the Bulgarian political party DEOS, asked why there have been no resignations in NKZHI (Ministry of Transportation) or the National Railway Infrastructure Company responsible for supervision of the local train lines.

For the residents of this remote region over 300 kilometers from the capital Sofia, the disaster is a tragedy of massive proportions. Hitrino is located in one of the very poorest regions of Bulgaria, and the people who lost their homes most likely will face the winter in vans.

Hitrino, Bulgaria, 10th of Dec, 2016. Photo by Krasimir Krumov, used with permission.

Bulgarian news website Novini explained that in most similar incidents, the people directly affected receive 325 BGN (around 160 euros) in government aid — a paltry amount that will not come close to covering their needs.